Leaping the letter s.



Nor 798,102. PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

G. T. HONNEUS.

LEAPING THE LETTER S. APPLICATION FILED FEB. "1. 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES THOMAS HONNEUS, OF NEPONSEI, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BARNUM &BAILEY, LTD., OF. NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF GREAT BRITAIN.

LEAPING THE LETTER S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February '7, 1905. Serial No. 244,597.

No. 798.102. Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES THOMAS HON- NEUS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and aresident of Neponset, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Leaping the Letter S, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is the construction of an improvedamusement device by means of which a bicycle, automobile, or othervehicle can be made to maintain itself in an abnormal and startlingcourse, such course embracing certain new features hereinafter setforth.

Referring to-the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1is a side elevation of the amusement device embodying my improvements.Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the track and its rail in cross-sectionand a bicycle-wheel supported by said rail. Fig. 3 is a detail viewillustrating a bicycle or other wheel just beginning its engagement withsaid rail; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section, full size, of one of theextended wheel-axles by which said rails are engaged.

The course along which I have arranged for a bicycle or other vehicle topass consists of the momentum-acquiring length of track 1, the firstcurve 2, the jumping-space 3, second or receiving curve 1, andlanding-board 5. It will be seen that said track conforms to what may beroughly conceived of as a letter S, but having a gap therein, whence thename is derived of leaping the letter S.

Ordinarily, as in the so-called looping the loop, the vehicle ismaintained in its upsidedown part of the track by centrifugal force; butit is evident that such force cannot be utilized in passing the bicycleabout the curve 2, where both the vehicles momentum and centrifugalforce combine to drive it away from such curved path. To solve thisproblem a pair of rails 10 are secured in position by any suitablemeans, as the supportingbraces 7 (shown in Fig. 2,) concentric with thecurve 2 and at a distance from its face slightly in excess of the radiusof the vehicles wheelsjecting far enough laterally to come beneath saidrails, as shown in Fig. 1. Said extensions I prefer to have simpleshells or cylinders 16 of a limited diameter, usually scarcely over aninch, with ball-bearings 18 between them and the extended hubs or axles17. As the bicycle, for which this invention is preferably intended,comes flying down the incline 1 and reaches the point thereof where itwould otherwise be precipitated with its rider to the ground below saidantifriction extended hubs 16 come into contact with the rails 10 andare forced by the latter to guide the bicycle to the very end of thecurve 2. From this point the momentum of the wheel and rider causes themto jump the gap 3 and meet the curve 4, down which they speed inobedience to gravity and centrifugal force to the landing-board 5.

Although I have illustrated the rails 10 as embracing only the curvedsection 2, they may extend upward to the entire height of the incline 1in order the better to insure the bicycles position and safety duringits rapid descent. I also prefer to form the rails 10 from angle-irons,as shown in Fig. 2, for the sake of strength.

Whatl claim as my invention, and for which I desire Letters Patent, isas follows, to wit:

1. The combination with a vertical curved track, of rails concentrictherewith but exterior thereto, and a vehicle having its wheels arrangedfor travel along said track and provided with antifriction devicesdisposed to come into engagement with said rails and thereby retain saidvehicle in position upon In testimony whereof I have aflixed mysignature -1n' presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES THOMAS HONNEUS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM ED. HONNEUS, EUGENE L. MURPHY.

